The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-11-26

murderer and q suicide. His spirit was dead,
or in it's last agonies, and of this he was
dimly conscious in adespairing sort of way.
On the hosts left, the other place Of honor
--and what a significant distinction to oc-
cupy those prominent eats-sat the janntiest
individual of the whole party At first sight
it would have been difficult to say why he
had his Share at this banquet of the ruined,
disappointed, bereaved and afflicted. 1t was
not his look nor his dress that told the secret,
but his words He was bett er dressed than any
of his fellows, and a self satisfied expression
was upon his face. But you soon saw blank
in the midst of that self satisfaetion-th lack
of something, which mysterious something
would have just put him beyond the pale of
our friends circle. He talked louder than the
rest and held out the comfort of irresponsi-
bility in the present and annihilation here
after-no God to restrain us now, and none
to Judge us later; but the lack of that some
thing made his face grow ugly and hard as
he expounded his theories, and his own ap-
pearance was but poor argument in favor
of his theories.
A curious rivalry between many IL the
guests attracted my attention. Each thought
his own misfortune the heaviest, and was
jealous of the consideration which another
won. Some even flung it into the faces of
certain others that when they were enjoying
prosperity they had been appealed to in vain.
Any cant about equality in spite of loss of
money was promptly resented by those who
had been in the attitude of solicitors, This
feast was no good place at which to air fine
talk not supported by fine character. The
restrictions which obtain in society less
honest of speech, though more polished were
laid aside and each one spoke his mind. All
told their worldly circumstances quite
plainly.
One said that he lived with his wife, three
children and mother-in-law in two rooms in
an unwholesome tenement house, and earned
SIS week in slop shop selling rotten cloth
ing to greenhorns
Another said: tI started in life with the
notion of being great author. am over
30 now, and glad to get Sc week in book
store. have covered reams of paper and
made about 81 900 altogether in little sums,
but no one knows my name. | carried a
novel and an epic from one publishing house
to another for ten years, and never could
get any editor even to read them l am try
ing to save a little money now to get the
poem published after my death, with little
autobiography which may teach the world
what it has lost, and make people sorry that
they let such a man die miserable death
after SO disappointing life"
sThey say some people have forced them
selves on the public by the manner of their
DEATH said Wild melancholy looking man
by the authors side, land think it would be
worth while to try such a scene to make my
Romeo and Juliet sell"
s'You talk of death like child said
croaking voice across the table. "Here am l,
an old woman, once Minni9 st. Angel, the
famous actress, but none the less starving,
broken down drudge now. Never despair
while you are young; it is only the old who
know what trouble is. To have been some
one and then fall to being nobody, that is
the hardest thing of all, much harder than to
have been unknown all your life.n
swell, | think it is harder for those who
never had brief hour of success at al, . said
a thin woman 81 was the daughter of a
theatre hack, and was on the stage from
child. But as grew up plain and not clever
l was used in all the common parts anSla1ever
knew what it was to have an individuality
l have never had home, and since my father
died have never even had friend. Now !
am wardrobe woman in low theatre, and
glad-yes, thankful-to have the place, too."
SIT is hard to work for no pay,n said
rough voice opposite. 81 was soldier Of
Napoleon's as lad, fought in Algeria and in
Russia; and because I took part in some plot
they called it revolutionary lost my little
pension, and starved in consequence. ran
away, and once here could find nothing to
do, and am trying to beg money enough to
buy hand organ and camp stool"